Stop Facebook from Switching to Dirty Coal

Facebook has just announced that it is building its own gigantic data center in Oregon. For the first time Facebook will have its own facility but unlike Google or Microsoft, which both built data centers in the same area running off hydroelectric power, Facebook’s facility will be powered by dirty coal.

Data centers use huge amounts of electricity and the new Facebook center will get its power from a coal-fired power plant in Idaho.

Coal is the single biggest cause of global warming and by far the dirtiest and most polluting way to generate electricity. Facebook should be choosing renewable or at least less destructive sources for its huge energy needs.

Sign this petition and send Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg an email directly asking him to keep Facebook off coal.

Letter to

Facebook CEOMark Zuckerberg

Facebook VP of Technical OperationsJonathan Heiliger

I’m sure you are excited to be building your own data center. It certainly is a testament to how popular Facebook has become.

I am writing today, however, because I am disappointed to learn that you are going to be using coal as the primary source of electricity for your new data center.

Coal is the single biggest cause of global warming and an innovative company like Facebook should be choosing the cleanest possible energy sources.

I hope that you will reverse this decision and commit to powering your data center without burning dirty coal.